Tales of the Inquisitor
by NorWal
Summary: Drabbles and whatnot documenting the various travels of the Qunari Inquisitor and her various companions. Will probably mention the Warden/Hawke siblings at some point or another.


_Saarebas_. The word alone left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was a word of enslavement and mistrust. There was no true honor for her kind, the word had imprisoned her within her own body, taken her horns and placed the collar around her throat. It had stripped her of whatever honor that could be found following the Qun. One did not honor another by caging them for simply being. Even as Qunari she'd felt contempt for the term, as she sat leashed with her brothers and sisters she was not content. This was not the role she was meant for, this was a farce; but the Qun demanded it, and she'd obeyed.

Where Karataam went, they followed; where they were needed they went. Whatever Arishok demanded they did obediently; until they didn't. She remembered it clearly; they had been allowed freedom from the Karataam to travel as an individual unit, the reason behind it was unknown to her, even now. They were on a ship bound for a port of no significance. Arvaarad had seemed… different. Changed in a way that was beyond comprehension; he was restless and aggravated. He had appeared suddenly in the cellar of the ship and loosened her bindings, allowing her arms their freedom.

"When we reach land we shall be Tal-Vashoth." She'd watched him turn and walk back up the stairs and allowed a wry smile to stretch her sewn mouth; so this is how it would be. There was little honor for Tal-Vashoth, but it allowed more freedom then Qunari; she would be called something other than that foul word that had spewed from every mouth referring to her. They'd reached the mainland within the week and wandered far from the city, walking in the same direction until Arvaarad simply stopped. Without turning he'd taken the damnable device that had been used to bind her and her powers and held it in both hands, smashing it over his knee. The painful surge of energy was overwhelming and lasted several long seconds before the light surrounding her body dissipated, leaving her breathless on her hands and knees. She choked as she tried to take in deep breaths and felt herself fall on her side, groping for purchase that didn't exist. Arvaarad simply stared down at her, the pity in his eyes apparent. "Panahedan Saarebas." His back was the last thing she saw as everything faded to black.

By the time she came to the suns light had already gone. She coughed and winced at the pain in her chest; her entire body felt heavy. She took several deep breaths before heaving herself to her feet and taking a couple shaky steps forward. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she looked around the realization hit her that she was alone. For the first time in many years there was no one to watch her, no one to constantly regard her with eyes full of suspicion and pity. She was finally, truly free; from the Qun, from Arvaarad, from the device that had been the bane of her existence for so long. Another smile split her face then, the thick string holding her lips together becoming tauter than before. With a sigh that was both content and excited she lowered herself back to the ground and began the task of removing the mask and strings that had leashed her for so many years; of the objects that had previously bound her, she kept only the thick pieces of fabric that had secured the mask to the stumps of her horns, wrapping them around her wrists. They would serve a purpose, as a reminder to her of what she had been and a warning to whatever enemies she would inevitably face of the danger that she truly was.  
-

"Now there's a sight!" Silver eyes traveled towards the source of the voice, to the stubby dwarf sitting across from her with his wide smirk and arms outstretched towards her as if he were expecting a hug. The smirk widened. "The mighty Inquisitor cracks a smile and I'm the only one here who can really appreciate it. This is truly a momentous occasion." He dipped his pen in the inkwell sitting on the table and looked at her expectantly. "What's that name of yours mean again?"

"Dangerous Illusion. Saarehissra." She watched as he scratched words into parchment quickly, a white eyebrow rising in mild curiosity. He made a noise in his throat, it sounded vaguely like a sound of amusement.

"My, that's quite poetic. I didn't think the Qun had any rules about poetry and the arts in it."

"It doesn't. You know for a dwarf who spins tales of great adventures and romances you know very little." She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and intertwined her fingers as she spoke. He let out a slight chuckle as he dipped his pen once more and continued. She frowned, leaning further to try and catch a look at the parchment in front of him. "What exactly are you writing there Tethras?"

"Nothing of great importance Inquisitor." It was her turn to make a noise in her throat, the dwarf laughed. "I'm writing the tale behind the mighty Qunari Inquisitors illusive smile." He looked up just as her brows furrowed.

"What?"

"Oh yes, it's a fine tale indeed. The great and powerful Qunari mage Saarehissra singlehandedly takes on half a dozen Templars and tames a dragon in it. The smile's because you were reminiscing about setting the Templars on fire."

"Mmhm." She leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest, one eyebrow once again raised. "How did I find time to tame the dragon?"

"Oh you did, I just haven't fit the scene in yet. I'll let you read it when I'm done. You know, to get your blessing."

"You're a ridiculous little man." She said, smirking at him. The tone of her voice was so matter-of-fact he almost believed it. The scars around her mouth stretched with the movement; smiles were a rare thing indeed for the mage. He let out a chuckle as he resumed his writing.

"I've been called worse."


End file.
